Door closer assembly preventing misalignment of closer and arm

ABSTRACT

An improved door closer assembly is provided of the type wherein the closer is mountable for both left and right hand operations. The closer is mounted on the door and includes a rotatable drive member. The closing arm has one end mounted on the frame and its other end mounted for rotation with the drive member. The drive member includes a drive portion and the closing arm defines an opening adapted to engagingly receive the drive portion for rotation therewith. The drive portion has a plurality N of external corners and the opening comprises a plurality greater than N of internal corners. Each of the internal corners is adapted to receive the adjacent external corner, with at least one of the internal corners being configured to interfere with the adjacent external corner when the closing arm and drive member are in an orientation other than a proper right hand or proper left hand orientation. Preferably, the opening has twice as many internal corners as the drive portion has external corners, with one of the internal corners being configured to interfere with the adjacent external corner.

llnited States Patent 1 [111 3,909,876

Zunkel Oct. 7, 1975 DOOR CLOSER ASSEMBLY PREVENTING [57] ABSTRACT MISALIGNMENT OF CLOSER AND ARM An improved door closer assembly is provided of the [75] Inventor; Richard L Zunkel, Marshviue, c type wherein the closer is mountable for both left and right hand operations. The closer is mounted on the [73] Asslgnee: Eaton corporat'one Cleveland Ohio door and includes a rotatable drive member. The clos- [22] Filed; Oct 7 1974 ing arm has one end mounted on the frame and its other end mounted for rotation with the drive mem- [21] Appl- 512,375 ber. The drive member includes a drive portion and the closing arm defines an opening adapted to engag- 52 us. Cl. 16/71; 49/386; 16/49 ihgly reeeive the drive Portion for rotation therewith- 51 Int. cm E05F 1/00 The drive Portion has a plurality N of external comers 58 Field of Search 49/386, 388; and the Opening comprises a plurality greater than N 16/495054 66 67 68, 71 82 84, DIG 9, of internal comers. Each of the internal corners is DIG. 10, 51 adapted to receive the adjacent external corner, with at least one of the internal corners being configured to 5 References Cited interfere with the adjacent external corner when the UNITED STATES PATENTS closing arm and drive member are in an orientation other than aproper right hand or proper left hand ori- 1,097,604 5/1914 Volght 16/71 X entation. Preferably, the opening has twice as many internal corners as the drive portion has external corners, with one of the internal corners being configured to interfere with the adjacent external corner.

2,994,906 8/1961 Check 16/51 Primary ExaminerGeo. V. Larkin Attorney, Agent, or FirmTeagno & Toddy 6 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures US. Patent 0a. 7,1975 Sheet 1 0f 4 3,909,876

US. Patent (M11975 Sheet2of4 3,909,876

US. Patent Oct. 7,1975 Sheet 3 of4 3,909,876

DOOR CLOSER ASSEMBLY PREVENTING MISALIGNMENT OF CLOSER AND ARM BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to door closer assemblies, and more particularly, to a door closer assembly having a closer and a closing arm which prevent improper orientation of the arm with respect to the closer during installation of the closer assembly.

Conventional door closers of the type to which the present invention may be advantageously applied normally include an axially movable piston member within the closer, the piston having a gear rack in engagement with a pinion gear. Extending from at least one end of the pinion is a shaft which generally has a square cross section and engages an opening in the closing arm so that the arm and the shaft rotate as a unit. Typically, the opening in the arm is a double-square, i.e., defining 8 internal corners spaced 45 apart. If only one shaft extends from the pinion, so that the closer can be oriented in only one direction and used with only a right hand door or with only a left hand door, the closer is referred to as handed." Alternatively, a closer is referred to as non-handed if a shaft extends from each end of the pinion so that the closer may be oriented in one position for use with a left hand door and turned over for operation with a right hand door.

Increasingly, universal closing arms are being used with both handed and non-handed closers. As used herein, the term universal in reference to a closing arm means that the arm may be used for both regular application, parallel-arm application, and top jamb application, and for either left hand or right hand operation with either type of application. The normal installation procedure for door closer assemblies of the class described includes installing the closer at the desired location on either the door or the frame and installing the closing arm at the desired location on the other of the door and frame. Subsequently, for paralleLarm application, the pinion shaft is rotated until it is in the correct rotational orientation to permit engagement with the opening in the arm, because the arm cannot be placed in proper engagement with the pinion shaft when the pinion shaft is in its unbiased position, and also to achieve the proper preload within the closer, i.e., the force acting to bias the door toward the *closcd" position when the door is closed. The abovedescribed positioning of the pinion shaft is normally achieved by rotating the pinion shaft, by means of a wrench.

In either event, a problem which arises frequently during installation of such closer assemblies is improper angular orientation of the pinion shaft with respect to the closing arm. For example, with a square cross section pinion shaft and an 8-cornered opening in the closing arm, it is common for the pinion shaft to be off by 45 in one direction or the other from its proper orientation with respect to the opening in the closing arm. Depending upon the direction of improper orientation, the result may be either too much preload on the closer piston or insufficient preload on the piston. If there is too little preload applied, there may be insufficient force acting on the pinion shaft and closing arm to close the door all the way, or the door may reach the fully closed position, but there may be so little force holding it in the closed position that forces caused by winds or vibration may force the door open. Alternatively, for certain types of door closers which have a two-speed closing cycle, the hesitation or transition between the first speed (sweep speed) and second speed (latch speed) may occur 20- 25 inches from the closed position rather than the 5-7 inches from the closed position as is considered by the industry to be the desired standard of operation. On the other hand, if excessive preload is applied as a result of misalignment of the pinion shaft and closing arm, it is possible that the pinion may run off the gear rack on the piston causing internal damage to the closer gearing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved door closer assembly which prevents improper orientation of the closing arm with respect to the closer during installation thereof.

It is a more specific object of the present invention to provide such a door closer assembly wherein misalignment of the closing arm with respect to the pinion shaft of the closer results in interference therebetween, thus preventing installation of the arm in other than the proper orientation.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved door closer assembly including a closer mounted on either the door or the frame, the closer being of the type including a rotatable drive member. The closing arm has one end mounted on the other of the door and frame and its other end mounted for rotation with the drive member. Either the drive member or the closing arm includes a drive portion and the other defines an opening adapted to engagingly receive the drive portion for rotation therewith. The drive portion has a plurality N of external corners and the opening comprises a plurality greater than N of internal corners. Each of the internal corners is adapted to receive an adjacent external corner, with at least one of the internal corners being configured to interfere with an adjacent external corner when the closing arm BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a somewhat schematic view of a door and closer assembly installed for parallel arm application, left hand operation.

FIG. 2 is a somewhat schematic view of a door and closer assembly installed for parallel arm application, right hand operation.

FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C are enlarged fragmentary views similar to FIG. 1, in the closed-door position, illustrating the present invention.

FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C are enlarged fragmentary views similar to FIG. 2, in the closed-door position, further illustrating the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a somewhat schematic view of a door and closer assembly installed for regular arm application.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view similar to FIG. 5, in the closed-door position, illustrating another aspect of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings which are for the purpose of illustrating preferred embodiments of the present invention, and not for limiting the same, FIGS. 1 and 2 are included partly to facilitate the definition of certain terms used in the subsequent description of the present invention. In addition, the schematic views of FIGS. 1, 2 and 5 will aid in understanding the installation of the door closer assemblies of the present invention as illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4 and 6 respectively. In the various views, like numerals refer to like elements.

In the schematic views of FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, a door 11 is mounted to swing within a door frame 13 by means of a set of hinges 15. The opening and closing action of the door 11 is controlled by a door closer assembly 17 including a door closer 19 which may be of the type described previously and such as is illustrated in US. Pat. No. 2,994,906, assigned to the assignee of the present invention. The closer 19 is fixedly mounted on the door 11 and is connected to a soffit plate 21 disposed on the door frame 13 by means of a closing arm. The closing arm includes a main closing arm 23 and a secondary closing arm 25. Thus, as used hereinafter, the term closing arm may refer to and include the combination of the main arm 23 and the secondary arm 25. Furthermore, as is well known to those skilled in the art and may be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2, the term parallel arm application refers to a closer installation in which the main and secondary closing arms are oriented generally parallel to the door in the closed-door position. On the other hand, the term regular application," as may be seen from FIG. 5, refers to an installation in which the closing arms are oriented generally perpendicular to the door in the closed-door position. It should be noted that closers of the type usable with the present invention typically require no shaft positioning using a wrench for regular application, so that the pinion shaft, in its normal, unbiased position, is in approximately the correct position for engagement with the closing arm. Thus, it is not nearly as important to provide an interference (or mistake-proof) fit adjacent the regular and top jamb application positions as it is adjacent the parallel arm positions, because for parallel-arm application, the arm cannot be placed on the shaft without rotating the shaft into position.

Referring now to the enlarged fragmentary views of FIGS. 3, 4 and 6, it may be seen that the closer 19 includes a pinion shaft 27, as is well known in the art in connection with door closers, and which is illustrated herein as having a generally square cross section. The main closing arm 23, shown in the closed-door position, includes a double-square opening 29 which engagingly receives the pinion shaft 27, with the pinion shaft 27 and the opening 29 providing a sufficiently close fit that the main closing arm 23 rotates with the pinion shaft 27. Although the present invention is illustrated as having the opening 29 in the closing arm 23, it will be understood that the pinion shaft 27 may define an opening to receive a shaft portion or drive portion protruding from the main closing arm 23. Furthermore, although the present invention is illustrated in connection with a square pinion shaft and a double-square opening, it will be appreciated'that within the scope of the present invention other configurations of pinion shafts and openingsmay be utilized.

The pinion shaft 27'has 3 external corners 31, and one external corner. 32 which has been flattened for reasons which will be described subsequently. The double-square opening 29 defines 8 internal corners 33, including an internal corner 33L, indicating parallel arm application,and which is disposed adjacent external comer 32 for left hand operation (see FIG. 3A); internal corner 33R indicating parallel arm application, and which is disposed adjacent external corner 32 for right hand operation (see FIG. 4A); and internal corner 338 indicating regular (or standard) application, and which is disposed adjacent external corner 32 for either left hand or right hand operations (see FIG. 5). Adjacent the internal comers 33L, 33R and 338 are index marks L, R and S, respectively, to provide visual assistance in orienting the closing arm in each of the particular positions.

Referring again to FIG. 3A, there is shown the main closing arm 23 and pinion shaft 27 correctly installed and in the proper relative orientation with the flattened external corner 32 disposed adjacent internal corner 33L. Because the problem of improper orientation of the pinion shaft and closing arm normally involves the pinion shaft 27 being off one corner in either direction, FIGS. 38 and 3C illustrate the operation of the present invention when the 'pinion shaft 27 is misoriented by one internal corner which, in the subject embodiment, is about 45. In FIG. 3B, the pinion shaft 27 is rotated 45 clockwise from the proper orientation such that the flattened external corner 32 engages the internal corner 33 between internal comers 33L and 33R. In this orientation, external corner 31, oppositely disposed from flattened corner 32, engages internal corner 338 which has been configured to interfere with the external corners 31, thus preventing the opening 29 from receiving the pinion shaft 27.

FIG. 3C shows the pinion shaft 27 rotated 45 counterclockwise from the proper or desired orientation. In this position, the flattened external corner 32 engages the internal corner 33 adjacent internal corner 33L in a counterclockwise direction. Again, however, an external corner 31 interferes with flattened internal corner 33S, preventing engagement of the pinion shaft 27 and the opening 29.

Similarly, FIG. 4A shows the pinion shaft in the proper orientation relative to the closing arm 23 and double-square opening 29 for parallel arm application, right hand operation. The flattened external corner 32 is shown in engagement with internal corner 33R, with each of the other external corners 31 being engagingly received by one of the other internal corners 33. In FIG. 4B, the pinion shaft 27 is rotated 45 clockwise from the proper position shown in FIG. 4A, such that the flattened external corner 32 engages the internal corner 31 adjacent internal corner 33R in a clockwise direction. In this orientation, one of the external corners 31 is aligned for engagement with flattened internal corner 338 which, as described previously, prevents engagement of the pinion shaft and opening. The same is true in FIG. 4C in which the pinion shaft 27 is rotated 45 counterclockwise from the proper orientation such that the external corner 31, opposite the external corner 32 is alignedwith flattened internal corner 33S,

thus preventing installation of the arm 23 on the pinion shaft 27.

Turning now to FIG. 6 wherein the main closing arm 23 is shown positioned for regular arm application, the flattened external corner 32 is engagingly received by the specially configured internal corner 335. Thus, the present invention provides a closer assembly in which two different substantially mistake-proof orientations of the closing arm are possible, such as parallel arm, left and right'hand orientations, and in addition, other orientations are possible, such as'the regular application illustrated in FIG. 6. It should be apparent, however. that the teachings of the present invention may be applied to insure installation of the closing'arm in orientations other than those shownin the subject embodiment. Thus, as used herein, the term proper orientation refers to that (those) orientation(s) of the closing arm for whichit is desired that misorientation in either direction will result in an interference fit between the opening 29 and the pinion shaft 27.

As was stated previously, the number of external corners on the pinion shaft 27 may be more or less than 4, and the number of internal corners defined by the opening 29 may be more or less than 8. Thus, it should be apparent that although the corners are approximately 90 in the preferred embodiment, they may define a greater or smaller angle. It is preferred however that the corners define an angle of about 90 and that there be twice many internal corners as there are ex ternal corners such that there are N external corners, 2N internal corners and misalignment is prevented at least when the pinion shaft 27 is displaced by 360/2N degrees (one corner) from the proper orientation, whether parallel arm or regular arm, right hand or left hand.

It should be clearly understood that as is used herein, the term corners," whether in reference to internal or external corners, is intended to mean and include all of the corners, even those which do not precisely define an angle, such as flattened external corner 32 and internal corner 338. Thus, in the subject embodiment, there are 8 internal corners, although only 7 are able to receive one of the external corners 31.

It should also be noted that the present invention may permit misorientation when the pinion shaft is misaligned by more than one internal corner. Thus, when reference is made to interference occurring in an orientation other than the proper orientation, it is intended to indicate primarily that interference occurs if the pinion shaft is misaligned by one internal corner in either direction from the desired, correct position.

The invention has been described in detail sufficient to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the samev Obviously, modifications and alterations ofthe preferred embodiments will occur to others upon a reading and understanding of the specification and it is my intention to include all such modifications and alterations as part of my invention insofar they come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A door closer assembly for door elements including a door and a frame, said door closer assembly comprising:

a. a door closer attached to one of said door and frame. said door closer including a rotatable drive member;

V b a closing arm having a first. end pivotally mounted to the other of saiddoor and fram'e and having a second endadapted to engage said drive member r0; rotation therewith, said fclosing arm and said drive member defining a proper orientation; c. one of said rotatabledriv-e member and closing arm including a drive portion and the other of said rotatable drive member and closing arm defining an opening adapted to engagingly receive, said drive portion for movement therewith; said drive portion having a plurality N of sides and a plurality N of external corners; and e. said opening comprising a plurality greater than N of internal corners, each of said internal corners being adapted to receive one of said external corners of said drive portion, at least one of said corners being configured to interfere when said closing arm and said rotatable drive member are in an orientation other than said proper orientation.

2. A door closer assembly as defined in claim I wherein said proper orientation includes a left hand orientation and a right hand orientation in each of which each of said plurality N of external corners is received by one of said plurality greater than N of internal corners.

3. A door closer assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said opening in said closing arm comprises a plurality 2N of internal corners, all but one of said 2N internal corners being adapted to receive one of said N external comers.

4. A closing arm for use with a door closer assembly for door elements including a door and a frame, the door closer assembly including a door closer mounted on one of said door and frame and having a rotatable drive member, said door closer being mountable for right hand operation of the door and for left hand operation of the door, said closing arm and said rotatable drive member cooperating to define a right hand orientation and a left hand orientation corresponding, respectively, to said right hand and left hand operations of the door, one of said closing arm and drive member including a drive portion and the other of said closing arm and drive member defining an opening adapted to engagingly receive said drive portion for movement therewith; said drive portion having a plurality N of external corners, said opening comprising a plurality greater than N of internal corners, all but one of said internal corners being adapted to receive the adjacent one of said external corners of said drive portion, said one internal corner being configured to interfere with the adjacent one of said external corners when said closing arm and said drive member are in an orientation other than said right hand orientation or said left hand orientation.

5. A door closer assembly for door elements including a door and a frame, said door closer assembly being mountable for both right hand operation and left hand operation and comprising:

a. a door closer mounted on one of said door and frame, said door closer including a rotatable closer drive member;

b. a closing arm having a first end pivotally mounted to the other of said door and frame and a second end adapted for rotation with said rotatable closer drive member, said closing arm and said rotatable closer drive member being operable to define correct right hand and left hand orientations corresponding, respectively, to said right hand and left hand operations of said door closer assembly;

0. one of said rotatable closer drive member and closing arm second end including a drive portion and the other of said rotatable closer member and closing arm second end defining an opening adapted to engagingly receive said drive portion for rotation therewith;

d. said drive portion having a plurality N of external corners; and

e. said opening comprising a plurality 2N of internal corners all but at least one of said internal corners being adapted to receive the adjacent one of said external corners, said one internal corner being configured to interfere with the adjacent one of said external corners when said drive portion and said closing arm are relatively rotatably displaced about 360/2N degrees in either direction from said correct right hand orientation or said correct left hand orientation.

6. A door closer assembly for door elements including a door and a frame, said door closer assembly being mountable .to provide for operation of a left hand or right hand door, said door closer comprising a rotatable drive member and a closing an'n interconnectable between said drive member and one of said door and frame, said drive member and said closing arm being operable to be interconnected to provide for rotation of one of said drive member and closing arm in response to rotation of the other of said drive member and closing arm, one of said drive member and closing arm including a drive portion and the other of said drive member and closing arm including an opening for receiving said drive portion for rotation therewith, said drive portion and said opening having cooperating surfaces which enable said closing arm and said drive member to be correctly mounted for either left hand or right hand operation of the door and which prevent mounting of said closing arm and said drive member within an angle less than in either direction from the correct left hand mounting and correct right hand mounting of said drive member and said closing arm. 

1. A door closer assembly for door elements including a door and a frame, said door closer assembly comprising: a. a door closer attached to one of said door and frame, said door closer including a rotatable drive member; b. a closing arm having a first end pivotally mounted to the other of said door and frame and having a second end adapted to engage said drive member for rotation therewith, said closing arm and said drive member defining a proper orientation; c. one of said rotatable drive member and closing arm including a drive portion and the other of said rotatable drive member and closing arm defining an opening adapted to engagingly receive said drive portion for movement therewith; d. said drive portion having a plurality N of sides and a plurality N of external corners; and e. said opening comprising a plurality greater than N of internal corners, each of said internal corners being adapted to receive one of said external corners of said drive portion, at least one of said corners being configured to interfere when said closing arm and said rotatable drive member are in an orientation other than said proper orientation.
 2. A door closer assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said proper orientation includes a left hand orientation and a right hand orientation in each of which each of said plurality N of external corners is receIved by one of said plurality greater than N of internal corners.
 3. A door closer assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said opening in said closing arm comprises a plurality 2N of internal corners, all but one of said 2N internal corners being adapted to receive one of said N external corners.
 4. A closing arm for use with a door closer assembly for door elements including a door and a frame, the door closer assembly including a door closer mounted on one of said door and frame and having a rotatable drive member, said door closer being mountable for right hand operation of the door and for left hand operation of the door, said closing arm and said rotatable drive member cooperating to define a right hand orientation and a left hand orientation corresponding, respectively, to said right hand and left hand operations of the door, one of said closing arm and drive member including a drive portion and the other of said closing arm and drive member defining an opening adapted to engagingly receive said drive portion for movement therewith; said drive portion having a plurality N of external corners, said opening comprising a plurality greater than N of internal corners, all but one of said internal corners being adapted to receive the adjacent one of said external corners of said drive portion, said one internal corner being configured to interfere with the adjacent one of said external corners when said closing arm and said drive member are in an orientation other than said right hand orientation or said left hand orientation.
 5. A door closer assembly for door elements including a door and a frame, said door closer assembly being mountable for both right hand operation and left hand operation and comprising: a. a door closer mounted on one of said door and frame, said door closer including a rotatable closer drive member; b. a closing arm having a first end pivotally mounted to the other of said door and frame and a second end adapted for rotation with said rotatable closer drive member, said closing arm and said rotatable closer drive member being operable to define correct right hand and left hand orientations corresponding, respectively, to said right hand and left hand operations of said door closer assembly; c. one of said rotatable closer drive member and closing arm second end including a drive portion and the other of said rotatable closer member and closing arm second end defining an opening adapted to engagingly receive said drive portion for rotation therewith; d. said drive portion having a plurality N of external corners; and e. said opening comprising a plurality 2N of internal corners all but at least one of said internal corners being adapted to receive the adjacent one of said external corners, said one internal corner being configured to interfere with the adjacent one of said external corners when said drive portion and said closing arm are relatively rotatably displaced about 360/2N degrees in either direction from said correct right hand orientation or said correct left hand orientation.
 6. A door closer assembly for door elements including a door and a frame, said door closer assembly being mountable to provide for operation of a left hand or right hand door, said door closer comprising a rotatable drive member and a closing arm interconnectable between said drive member and one of said door and frame, said drive member and said closing arm being operable to be interconnected to provide for rotation of one of said drive member and closing arm in response to rotation of the other of said drive member and closing arm, one of said drive member and closing arm including a drive portion and the other of said drive member and closing arm including an opening for receiving said drive portion for rotation therewith, said drive portion and said opening having cooperating surfaces which enable said closing arm and said drive member to be correctly mounted for either left hand or right hand operation of the door and which prevent mounting of said closing arm and said drive member within an angle less than 90* in either direction from the correct left hand mounting and correct right hand mounting of said drive member and said closing arm. 